We're praying for you, Brethren told Howard

THE Prime Minister has met in private the most senior leaders of
the Exclusive Brethren, including a man who is being investigated
by police over his huge spending on Mr Howard's election campaign
in 2004.

In his parliamentary office two weeks ago Mr Howard met Mark
Mackenzie, a Sydney pump salesman whose former company Willmac
funnelled $370,000 into pro-Howard advertising at the last
election. Willmac's spending was subsequently investigated by the
Australian Electoral Commission and then referred to the Australian
Federal Police for a criminal investigation, which is
continuing.

Also at the August 8 meeting were the secretive sect's world
leader, or "Elect Vessel", Bruce Hales, his brother Stephen, and
elder Warwick John. A Brethren spokesman confirmed yesterday that
the meeting with Mr Howard had taken place, but denied they had
asked for Mr Howard's help on the police investigation, or offered
support for his campaign in Bennelong.

Mr Howard's office said he had met members of the Brethren, as
he did with a wide range of groups. The Brethren spokesman said:
"There was absolutely no dialogue concerning Willmac, just as there
was no discussion about … Bennelong.

"The members of the church primarily assured Prime Minister
Howard that they were praying for him, as the leader of the
Government, and then went on to discuss the economy.

"This was a last-minute opportunity that presented itself. There
was no agenda or pre-arranged discussion topics."

A Greens campaigner in Bennelong, Matthew Henderson, said the
sect was already working on Mr Howard's campaign. At the Prime
Minister's recent walk-through at the Eastwood Plaza shopping
centre in his electorate, "there were a bunch of people I went to
school with, and who I recognise as Brethren, and they appeared to
be more than familiar with the Liberal Party supporters'
group".